Penn State Basketball: Tim Frazier To Miss Remainder of Season With Ruptured Achilles

Head coach Patrick Chambers addressed the media Tuesday afternoon following the announcement that senior guard Tim Frazier will miss the remainder of the season with a ruptured Achilles.

"This is a great opportunity for our freshmen and guys who want to play a little more to step up," Chambers said. "Guys are going to need to step up and play a little harder. Maybe Tim Frazier is that purpose we need to play a little harder."

Frazier will undergo surgery Tuesday afternoon. The current timetable for his return is anywhere between six-to-12 months, but Chambers hopes to have Frazier back by the summer. In the meantime, sophomore DJ Newbill will take over the duties at the point guard position.

"We have to just keep it going," Chambers said. "I think DJ is very capable playing the point and distributing. We're going to go out and compete. Don't feel sorry for us. We're going to go out and grind. He needs to play the way he's been playing. He needs to step up more because he's going to have the ball more."

Moving forward, Frazier and Chambers have discussed the option of a redshirt, which would allow Frazier to return next season. Chambers says that he is working with compliance on that front. Penn State currently does not have a scholarship available for the 2013-14 season, something that will be sorted out in the future.

Penn State's first test without Frazier will come at 4:30 p.m. Friday against 5-0 Bucknell at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Earlier coverage at 12:14 p.m.

Penn State basketball announced Tuesday that senior and returning All-Big Ten guard Tim Frazier will miss the remainder of the season with a ruptured Achilles.

Frazier was injured early in the first half Sunday against Akron in the Nittany Lions' third and final game as part of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Challenge. Frazier missed the rest of the game but was seen on the Nittany Lions' bench in the second half.

Recently, Frazier was named to the Naismith Award Watch List and the Wooden Award Men’s Preseason Top 50. Frazier led the Big Ten in assists (6.2) and finished second in scoring (18.8) and steals (2.4) during his junior season.

The talented senior is eligible for a medical hardship waiver following the completion of the 2012-13 season. However the Nittany Lions have filled all scholarship positions on the 2013-14 team with four incoming freshman.

“Tim is a tremendous player, a great team leader and just a fantastic young man who put a ton of hard work into having a terrific senior season,” Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said in the university release. “I have no doubt he will meet this challenge and will again be one of the top players in the nation.”